Happy Groundhog Day
Phil, the famous forecasting groundhog from the fine town of Punxsutawney, predicted today that spring was just around the corner. Of course, I find any critter from the squirrel family (groundhogs, like squirrels, are members of the rodent family known as marmots) to be nearly perfect, but, ironically, it is snowing in Grantham today for (no exaggeration) only the third time this winter.
Certainly Phil couldn’t be wrong! Amazingly, it’s February 2 already and a frantic trip to the grocery store for milk and bread in anticipation of accumulation hasn’t yet been necessary. No two hour delays for area schools. No sound of snow blowers or late night salt trucks. And, what I miss the most: no local newscasters standing beside a busy highway with their hood pulled tightly, their gloved hands shaking while holding the mic, the snow blowing in their face, and traffic crawling along behind them. Ah…instead the big news is a decapitated statue of Ronald McDonald.
Phil, by the way, has been at this business of predicting the weather since 1887. Other random facts: Groundhog Day is Feb. 2 because that date marks the “cross-quarter day” between the winter solstice and vernal equinox; groundhogs are also known as woodchucks (how much wood could a woodchuck chuck?) and whistlepigs; groundhogs primarily feast on grass, clover, garden vegetables, leaves, twigs, dandelions, and the occassional insect; and one Internet site will rent a groundhog costume for a reasonable $638.
The spring semester starts on Monday. It will be a busy semester of lectures, concerts, films, and athletic events. Really, it can’t come fast enough — blogging about rodents will eventually get old for me and you…